The brothers James and John were called by Jesus to be disciples while fishing like Peter had been previously. Like Peter, they figure prominently in the Gospels:

• When the daughter of a prominent religious figure dies, they are present to see her raised from the dead (Luke 8:49-56).
• Along with Peter, they are present at Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13).
• Along with Peter, they were with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as he grieved his imminent death (Matthew 26:36-46).
• John runs alongside Peter to discover the empty tomb of Jesus (John 20:1-10).

While Jesus called Peter his “rock”, he instead refers to James and John as the “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17). Why?

• They quickly suggest calling down fire like Elijah did on Mount Carmel in response to the Samaritans’ snub of Jesus, inviting his rebuke (Luke 9:52-56).
• Their Rabbi corrects them again when they insisted that others not in their inner circle cease casting out demons in Jesus’ name (Mark 9:38-40).
• Along with their mom, they argued about who would be greatest in Jesus’ kingdom (Matthew 20:20-28).
• Peter and John are the first to be arrested (Acts 4:13-21), possibly because their personalities made them easy targets.
• James was the first disciple to die for his faith (Acts 12:1-2).

It’s unlikely that Jesus called James and John “sons of thunder” in a derisive way, so, like we did with Peter last week, we should look for a “double-edged sword”, that is, a characteristic than can be both good and bad. Based on the evidence above, it’s likely the brothers were quick to act and natural leaders (like Peter) at their best and impulsive and loud at their worst.

When I saw my children misbehaving, before I corrected them I asked myself this question: Will that be a valuable trait as an adult? If so, I would demonstrate the flip side of the choice they just made. For example, if my children stubbornly refused to eat vegetables, I would argue that we have teeth both to cut (meat) and pulverize (vegetables) for a reason, much like any parent. However, I knew that standing up for themselves was going to be a valuable adult trait, one that would protect them, and pointed that out as well. Stubbornness is cleverly cloaked integrity and passion, isn’t it? Being loud and assertive like “thunder” can cause trouble but it also makes for great leaders like James and John.

What are examples of these dual traits from the life of you and your family?

Be aware that peering this closely into the lives of your family members may shine the light right back on you. What would your family say about your traits? What is the opposite of what they say? Which is good and which is bad?

What can we learn about our own strengths and weaknesses from the examples of James and John?

If you know someone who irritates you, put a name on the irritation and ask yourself if they also possess the opposite of that trait. Are you irritated because you have the same trait in its positive or negative form?

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